Apparatus and method for sterilizing vessel with electron beam

Abstract

To prevent electrical charging inside a resin material as well as a surface of a resin vessel at a time of sterilizing the resin vessel by being irradiated with electron beam, a bottle support unit is mounted to a lower end portion of a cylindrical rotating shaft rotatably supported by a rotating wheel. The bottle support unit includes a pair of griper members by which a mouth portion of a bottle is gripped. A ground electrode is disposed to be capable of being inserted into the interior of the resin vessel through a mouth portion thereof, and the interior of the resin vessel is irradiated with the electron beam in a state of the ground electrode being inserted into the resin vessel.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. An electron beam sterilization method for sterilizing a resin vessel which is transferred by a transfer means by irradiating the resin vessel with electron beam emitted from an electron beam irradiator, wherein inserting a ground electrode into an interior of the resin vessel through an opening thereof by an insert means and, in this state, irradiating the resin vessel with the electron beam by an electron beam irradiator, and effectively preventing electrons from remaining inside the wall of the resin vessel. 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1 , additionally comprising the step of blowing an aseptic gas into the resin vessel through a gas passage provided in the ground electrode during the irradiation of the resin vessel. 
     
     
       3. An electron beam sterilization method for sterilizing a resin vessel which is transferred by a transfer means by irradiating the resin vessel with electron beam emitted from an electron beam irradiator, wherein inserting an insertion member having a positive potential into an interior of the resin vessel through an opening thereof by an insert means and, in this state, irradiating the resin vessel with the electron beam by an electron beam irradiator, and effectively preventing electrons from remaining inside the wall of the resin vessel. 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 3 , additionally comprising the step of blowing an aseptic gas into the resin vessel through a gas passage provided in the insertion member during the irradiation of the resin vessel.